9 factors to weigh when deciding between booking through a portal or directly

Traveling offers a multitude of choices.

You can make reservations directly on the website of an airline, hotel, car rental service, or other travel providers. Alternatively, you can utilize online travel agencies like Expedia or Skyscanner. Additionally, many banks feature their own travel portals, such as Capital One Travel and Chase Travel.

Although there are some nightmares related to cancellations with portals, booking through one associated with a credit card you already use can be a compelling choice.

Take a moment to reflect on these nine questions to figure out the best strategy for organizing your next trip. They will guide you in choosing whether to book directly, through an online travel agency, or via a credit card portal for your upcoming getaway.

Will you lose status benefits and earnings?

When you reserve a hotel room through online travel agencies like Hotels.com or Expedia, you might not receive stay credits from the hotel brand (such as Marriott Bonvoy). Nights that would usually contribute to your status may not count.

Additionally, as an elite member, you often won't get the standard benefits during your stay, like complimentary breakfast or room upgrades. This applies to all major hotel loyalty programs. Many hotels provide a best-price guarantee, enabling you to request a price match for lower rates found elsewhere, even if they’re through an online travel agency. This guarantee allows you to enjoy loyalty benefits without extra spending.

The choice becomes more complex if you wish to utilize perks tied to booking via a credit card travel portal, which can include bonus rewards or statement credits. You'll need to determine what matters most: receiving elite perks and night credits, or accumulating more credit card points and benefiting from automatic discounts on your stay.

It's important to remember that flights booked via third-party websites usually count as standard revenue tickets, making them eligible to earn points or miles in the respective airline's loyalty program. Just be sure to review the terms carefully to avoid booking restrictive basic economy fares.

Do you have any travel credits available from your credit card?

Many credit cards provide travel credits on your statements when you book through their travel portals.

For instance, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) offers $300 in annual credits when you book flights, hotels, and rental cars through the Capital One Travel portal.

Similarly, holders of The Platinum Card® from American Express can access a variety of Amex Platinum benefits, including an annual hotel credit of up to $200 for prepaid bookings at Fine Hotels + Resorts properties or The Hotel Collection (the latter requires a minimum stay of two nights). This benefit is provided as a statement credit to your account. Like the Capital One credit, to receive the Amex credit, you must book an eligible stay through the American Express Travel portal.

Owners of a Chase Sapphire Preferred Card also receive a similar credit for hotel bookings, albeit a much lower amount of $50 per year. Just book through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal to have the annual credit applied to your account.

If you have unused travel credits, make sure to utilize them before they expire. However, be mindful of the rules to ensure your booking is eligible for reimbursement.

What will require the least amount of points?

If you’ve gathered enough points in credit card portals like American Express Membership Rewards or Citi ThankYou points, take the time to evaluate which redemption option will require the fewest points for your upcoming journey.

At times, transferring your points to a partner program and booking through their site might be the most economical choice.

Conversely, there are situations where keeping your points in your credit card account and redeeming them through the card's travel portal could be cheaper. This is particularly true for hotels, as transferring points to a partner hotel loyalty program might yield less value than redeeming them directly through your credit card issuer.

This approach can also be advantageous for boutique hotels that aren’t part of a loyalty program.

Always evaluate both redemption methods before transferring your points to ensure you achieve the best value.

What will help you accumulate the most points on your credit card?

When considering travel expenses, it’s important to determine which credit card offers the best rewards for every transaction.

For example, the Capital One Venture X (see rates and fees) card grants 10 miles for every dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Additionally, you earn 5 miles per dollar for flights booked through the same portal. Compared to the 2 miles per dollar for purchases made outside of Capital One Travel, the benefits are clear.

Chase has a similar approach. If you possess the Chase Sapphire Reserve and book via the Ultimate Rewards portal, you will earn 10 points per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars, and 5 points on flights. These rewards significantly surpass the 3 points per dollar earned on travel booked through other channels.

The Amex Platinum card serves as a notable example, offering 5 points for every dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked through the Amex Travel portal. You also earn 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with an airline or via Amex Travel, up to $500,000 in flights each calendar year; after that, it drops to 1 point per dollar. If you book directly with a hotel, you'll earn just 1 point per dollar spent. While you can choose either airfare option, booking hotels through Amex Travel is the best way to maximize points, although this may mean missing out on hotel loyalty points.

Must you sacrifice rental car loyalty benefits for a better price?

Online travel agencies and portals are favored for their convenience, allowing you to visit one site to compare options from multiple rental car companies.

Yet, there is a trade-off to keep in mind.

When you find a better price on an online travel agency or credit card portal compared to a rental car website, you typically forfeit any elite benefits tied to a rental car loyalty program. This is mainly because most online travel agencies and credit card portals don't allow you to enter your rental car loyalty number with the reservation (although some exceptions exist). Even if they do, the rental agency might not honor the benefits, such as bypassing the line during pickup.

In these cases, you need to weigh whether getting the lower price or enjoying perks is more valuable. Ultimately, it may hinge on the price difference.

Will hotels favor guests who book directly?

In summary: It's possible. Booking a hotel through a third-party website may not offer the same perks as a direct booking with the hotel.

For instance, a TPG team member encountered this situation while staying at Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort in Orlando. He booked through the Capital One Travel portal to earn miles with his Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees). However, this choice prevented him from using the mobile check-in feature, leading to a long wait at the front desk. Additionally, he was placed in a less favorable room near noisy spots like the service elevators and housekeeping storage areas.

If you’re not a light sleeper or prefer checking in personally, these issues may not be major concerns. Still, it's important to think about these factors when deciding how to book your hotel stay.

Can you receive complimentary perks when booking hotels through a portal?

Why not include complimentary perks in your hotel deal if you’re paying cash?

By booking through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection, American Express members can access exclusive extras. However, these benefits won't be available if you book directly with the hotel.

Capital One and Chase provide comparable offerings through the Capital One Premier Collection, Capital One Lifestyle Collection, and Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection. Reservations made through these collections typically come with perks such as complimentary breakfast, welcome gifts, or room upgrades based on availability.

Will you receive complimentary nights when booking a hotel?

Incorporating free nights into your hotel booking could be a significant advantage.

For instance, the Citi Prestige® Card provides a fourth-night-free perk. However, there are specific conditions to keep in mind: you can only use this benefit twice a year, and it must be booked through Citi ThankYou Rewards to qualify.

The information regarding the Citi Prestige has been independently gathered by Dinogo. The card details featured on this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the card issuer.

Similarly, you can enjoy a fourth or fifth night free when redeeming certain hotel points for award stays, which may encourage you to book directly through a hotel program.

What happens if there are issues with your flights?

In contrast to hotel and rental car bookings made through portals and online travel agencies, flights purchased outside airline websites will still allow you to accumulate miles and earn frequent flyer status credits.

This is great news, but it gets even better when you consider that you can stack rewards by booking flights through online travel agencies. This enables you to earn points on your credit card, miles for flying, shopping portal bonuses, and rewards from the loyalty programs of online travel agencies.

However, there is a potential concern to keep in mind if unexpected issues arise before or during your journey.

When you book directly with an airline and your flight is canceled, you can communicate directly with the carrier. They will reimburse or rebook you according to their cancellation policy. This might not apply if you booked through portals or online travel agencies.

If your flight is canceled due to adverse weather, the airline may advise you to buy new tickets for a later flight through the credit card portal or the online travel agency where you made your original booking. If there’s a schedule change or you need to modify your reservation, you’ll typically have to return to the third-party site for assistance rather than contacting the airline directly. This can be a major drawback when booking flights through a third-party option, especially if your trip is likely to be affected by weather conditions or if you foresee needing to change or cancel your plans.

Key Takeaway

Having a variety of options for booking your travels is beneficial. It allows you to compare prices effectively and utilize your points and miles wisely. You may even uncover exclusive perks not available on other platforms.

That said, too many choices can lead to confusion and overwhelm.

To streamline your booking experience, reflect on these nine questions beforehand. By taking into account factors like your travel credits and the impact on your elite status strategy, you can minimize surprises and maximize the rewards you earn during your trip.